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| SSL 1300 | |
|---|---|
| Name | SSL 1300 |
| Manufacturer | Maxar Technologies |
| Country | United States |
| First launch | 1996 |
| Mass | 3,000–6,000 kg |
| Power | up to 20 kW |
| Propulsion | chemical and electric |
| Status | active |
SSL 1300 is a family of commercial geostationary communications satellite platforms developed by Space Systems/Loral, now part of Maxar Technologies. The platform has served a wide range of telecommunications, broadcasting, and government payloads and has been launched on vehicles including Ariane 5, Proton (rocket), Atlas V, Falcon 9, and Zenit. Customers have included major operators such as Intelsat, SES S.A., Telesat, Eutelsat, and DirecTV.
The SSL 1300 design originated at Space Systems/Loral during the 1990s as a successor to earlier bus families used by RCA Astro Electronics, Ford Aerospace, GE Aerospace, and Hughes Space and Communications. Development incorporated technologies influenced by programs at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Glenn Research Center, TRW Inc., and Boeing Satellite Development Center. Engineering teams collaborated with contractors including Honeywell Aerospace, Raytheon Technologies, Ball Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman to integrate subsystems such as power modules from Spectrolab, propulsion from Aerojet Rocketdyne, and structure components from Sierra Nevada Corporation. Certification and testing used facilities at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and the European Space Research and Technology Centre. Program milestones intersected with procurement and export control frameworks involving U.S. Department of Commerce, Federal Communications Commission, International Telecommunication Union, and export partners such as Agence spatiale européenne.
The SSL 1300 bus provides modular capabilities with payload power up to about 20 kW and payload mass accommodating dozens of transponders, supported by solar arrays and batteries from suppliers like Spectrolab and Saft (company). Attitude control systems utilize reaction wheels and xenon ion propulsion developed in cooperation with Busek Co., AROspace, and Astrium Satellites. Thermal control leveraged heritage from Loral Skynet and design practices seen at Hughes Aircraft Company and Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Communications payloads include C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band, and X-band transponders compatible with terminals used by EchoStar, DirecTV, Dish Network, and government platforms for customers such as NASA, U.S. Department of Defense, and UK Ministry of Defence. Redundancy architectures draw on avionics standards from Thales Alenia Space, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Sumitomo Heavy Industries.
SSL 1300 variants evolved to meet diverse mission profiles, with configurations paralleling developments at Orbital ATK, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, ISRO, and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Derivative models incorporated electric propulsion iterations influenced by projects at SpaceX and Blue Origin, and hybrid chemical-electric designs akin to platforms from OHB SE and Avio. Customized versions were produced for broadcasters Sky Group, BSkyB, and maritime operators like Inmarsat and Iridium Communications, as well as government adaptations for agencies such as NOAA and Royal Australian Air Force.
Operational deployments of the SSL 1300 platform have supported services provided by Intelsat, SES Astra, Eutelsat, Telesat, ABS (satellite operator), and AsiaSat. Over decades of operations the platform has interfaced with ground networks run by Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Huawei Technologies, and Nokia, and has been part of regional initiatives including partnerships with Antrix Corporation, China Satcom, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, and Korean Aerospace Research Institute. Life-extension campaigns used mission planning tools from Analytical Graphics, Inc. and operations centers at Hughes Network Systems and Elliott Corporation.
SSL 1300 satellites have launched on vehicles including Ariane 4, Ariane 5, Proton-M, Long March (rocket family), Atlas II, Atlas V, Delta II, Delta IV Heavy, Falcon 9, Zenit-3SL, and commercial arrangements with Arianespace, International Launch Services, United Launch Alliance, and SpaceX. Missions ranged from direct-to-home broadcasting for DirecTV and Dish Network to broadband services for HughesNet, mobile satellite services for Iridium Communications partners, and government communications for NATO and European Commission. Specialized payloads supported applications for Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inmarsat Global Xpress, Globalstar, and emergency communications for International Red Cross and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Major commercial operators of the platform included Intelsat, SES S.A., Eutelsat, Telesat, EchoStar Corporation, DirecTV, ABS (satellite operator), AsiaSat, Hughes Network Systems, Inmarsat, Viasat (company), and regional providers such as Sky Group, NBN Co., Singtel, Telstra, Telespazio, and KT Corporation. Government and institutional customers encompassed NASA, U.S. Department of Defense, UK Ministry of Defence, Australian Department of Defence, European Space Agency, NOAA, and national agencies from India, Japan, Brazil, and Canada.
SSL 1300 platforms experienced anomalies and incidents investigated with input from organizations such as Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, European Space Agency, and private insurers like Aon and Lloyd's of London. Notable events prompted reviews by Federal Communications Commission and industry groups including Global VSAT Forum and Satellite Industry Association, and led to operational mitigations coordinated with launch providers Arianespace and International Launch Services as well as insurers Munich Re and Swiss Re.
Category:Communications satellites